The Schall family name comes from the from Middle High German word "schal," which means "noise," or "bragging," and as such is was thought to have originally been a nickname for a braggart, or for a market crier. The German people originally used only one name, but as the population grew there was often confusion between people of the same name. This required people to adopt hereditary surnames. Many people took surnames based on nicknames - sometimes known as eke-names - that described certain personal characteristics.

Schall Early Origins

The surname Schall was first found in the ancient Rhineland, where this family name became associated with a notable aristocratic line of the city of Cologne. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation. Chronicles mention one Robert Schallo as early as 1150.

Schall Spelling Variations

Schall Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Schall include Schall, Schaal, Schal, Schaell, Schael, Schalle, Schaller, Schallin and many more.

Schall Early History

Schall Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Schall research. Another 230 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1387, 1592, 1666, 1745, and 1815 are included under the topic Early Schall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Schall Early Notables (pre 1700)

Schall Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Schall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Schall were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Schall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Georg Daniel Schall, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1739

David Schall who arrived in Philadelphia in 1742

Tobias Schall, who setted in Philadelphia in 1748

Contemporary Notables of the name Schall (post 1700)

Contemporary Notables of the name Schall (post 1700)

Eugene David "Gene" Schall (b. 1970), American retired Major League Baseball first baseman who played from 1995 to 1996

Alvin Anthony Schall (b. 1944), American jurist, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1992-2009)

George B. Schall, American Democrat politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 7th District, 1865-67 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

George Schall, American Democrat politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 6th District, 1824-28 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

The Schall Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Schall Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.